The present invention relates to a brewing apparatus for extracting a portion capsule, comprising a first brewing chamber element and a second brewing chamber element, wherein the first and/or the second brewing chamber element are/is movable in an axial direction between a loading position, in which the first and the second brewing chamber elements are spaced apart from each other, and an extraction position, in which the first and the second brewing chamber elements form a substantially closed brewing chamber.
Brewing apparatuses of this type are known in general. For example, EP 2 077 087 A1 discloses a brewing apparatus for a portion capsule, which brewing apparatus comprises a second brewing chamber element in the form of a receiving element with a cavity for receiving the portion capsule and a first brewing chamber element in the form of a closure element for closing the cavity. The closure element here comprises an injection arrangement for introducing extraction liquid into the portion capsule while the receiving element comprises an extraction arrangement in order to remove the extraction liquid interacting with a beverage substance arranged in the portion capsule from the portion capsule and to supply said extraction liquid to a drinking vessel in order to prepare a beverage. In order to fill the brewing apparatus with the portion capsule, the closure element is transferred into a loading position, in which said closure element is spaced apart from the receiving element. The portion capsule is subsequently inserted into an intermediate space between the receiving element and the closure element and then the closure element is displaced in an axial direction in the direction of the receiving element, as a result of which the portion capsule is inserted into the cavity in the receiving element. In the extraction position, the receiving element and the closure element form a substantially closed brewing chamber for extracting the portion capsule. The beverage substance comprises in particular roast or instant coffee to be extracted. Furthermore, it is known to provide brewing apparatuses of this type with perforation means which perforate the portion capsule in order to introduce the extraction liquid or to conduct away the beverage extract during or after the closing of the brewing chamber.
A disadvantage of such brewing apparatuses is, firstly, that, when the portion capsule is uniformly perforated, in the region of the injection arrangement the flow of extraction liquid passes through the portion capsule along the shortest route, i.e. substantially parallel to the axial direction and at a comparatively high speed, and therefore only a small interaction between the beverage substance and the extraction liquid is obtained. If the capsule is not completely filled with the beverage substance, there is also the risk of the beverage substance sliding downward in the capsule due to gravitational force and the extraction liquid flowing over and beyond the beverage substance in the direction of the outlet opening without significant interaction. Furthermore, there is a potential risk of injury for the user of the brewing apparatus if said user come into contact through the loading opening with the very sharp perforation means.
The invention is therefore based on the object of providing a brewing apparatus for extracting a portion capsule, which brewing apparatus does not have the disadvantages of the prior art and obtains a significantly improved interaction between the beverage substance and the extraction liquid as compared to the prior art, thus improving the taste quality of the extracted beverage. Furthermore, a comparatively safe and error-free insertion of the portion capsule is intended to be made possible.